Quote of the Week: Paul Krugman

"When I was young and naïve, I believed that important people took positions based on careful consideration of the options. Now I know better. Much of what Serious People believe rests on prejudices, not analysis. And these prejudices are subject to fads and fashions."

Comments

When I was young, I heard a quip intended for those who were thinking about running for public office. The quip advised prospective candidates that platforms were great for running on but not-so-great for standing on. (That is presumably once the candidate actually succeeded in getting into office). After a few decades watching the dynamics of political positioning and posturing, I've decided the notion is better captured by "surf" than the verb "run." The point is to opportunistically seek out and identify the kind of fad or fashion you allude to and then figure out a way to "surf" its up swell.
Perhaps more to your point sir, the analysis you speak of is itself qualified. Our capacity for selectivity, for seizing on the results of analysis we like, and for dismissing the results we dislike, is in my experience virtually without limit.